It was a poor excuse. The MLB Secretariat, which hosts the WBC (World Baseball Classic), subtly changed the schedule for the semifinals. It appears to be a plot to get the U.S. to somehow make it to the finals.

On the 16th, the 2023 WBC quarterfinal match between Japan and Italy will be held at the Tokyo Dome in Japan. The match on this day was a confrontation between Group B 1st place Japan and Group A 2nd place Italy, and the meeting between Italy led by the legendary catcher Mike Piazza in the major leagues and Japan, the ‘star corps’, also became a hot topic. 먹튀검증

However, prior to the interview with manager Piazza before the game, a senior MLB official appeared at the press conference. Chris Marinak is MLB’s chief operating and strategy officer. Marinak started explaining, “I have something to announce regarding the semi-final schedule.” The Japanese reporters knew the information to some extent, as if they had been delivered right before the press conference.

Two special notices were added to the tournament schedule first announced by the MLB Secretariat, the organizer of the WBC. ‘If Japan advances to the quarterfinals, regardless of group ranking, it will be assigned to the second match (of the quarterfinals held in Tokyo)’ and ‘If the United States advances to the quarterfinals, regardless of group ranking (quarterfinals held in the United States) Middle) it was assigned to the second game’. Since the United States and Japan have the qualifications to host the WBC match, it seems that the request was made considering the travel schedule and relay time in advance.

I can fully understand that. But right after the U.S. advance to the quarterfinals was decided, MLB secretly changed the schedule. As originally announced, the United States is the 4th game of the quarterfinals, and Japan is the 2nd game of the quarterfinals. If the two teams beat each other to advance to the semifinals, they were scheduled to meet in the semifinals in Miami.

However, the MLB Secretariat deleted the phrase written in small letters in the corner of the game schedule. The US-Venezuela match, which should have been assigned to the 4th game of the quarterfinals, was moved to the 3rd game. It was no longer possible to meet Japan in the semifinals. The U.S. and Japan have to go all the way to the finals before they can face off.

The Japanese reporters responded as if they were embarrassed by the sudden change of schedule. Of course, it’s not that Japan wants to meet the US unconditionally in the semi-finals, but it’s because the plan they had in mind has changed, saying, “If we continue like this, we’ll meet the US in the semi-finals.”

However, when asked by Japanese reporters, “Isn’t there a notice that the United States will be assigned to the 4th game unconditionally?”

MLB changed the matchup a few days ago without any explanation, and announced the rule only on this day, after the U.S. advance to the quarterfinals was confirmed. It is a disregard for other countries.

As a result, Japan will meet the winner of the Puerto Rico-Mexico game even if it advances to the semifinals, and the United States will face Cuba if it goes up after beating Venezuela.

The MLB Secretariat wants to regain the status of ‘strongest American baseball’ through this WBC, and meet the revival of baseball popularity in the United States. However, the U.S. does not seem to want to meet Japan, who is not as overwhelming as expected and stronger than expected, in the semifinals. Because meeting Japan in the final and meeting Japan in the semi-final and failing to make it to the final are two entirely different matters.

This is an unreasonable response by the MLB Secretariat, which only cares about its own interests. I made other countries participating in the WBC as bridesmaids. When asked to explain the exact reason, Marinak said, “There was a request to assign the game to Saturday night rather than Friday (local time) night due to local broadcasting and box office problems, and we did not apply special rules to this, and the US- We have decided to assign the match against Venezuela as the ‘quarterfinal 3 matches’.”

Marinak also explained, “If the US were in first place in Group C, we would have met Japan in the semifinals according to the first bracket, but since the US is second in Group C, we will be assigned to ‘3 games’.” Japanese reporters also responded that they could not understand.

Of course, baseball may not go as planned. If they lose to Venezuela, who showed the strongest performance in Group D, it is impossible to advance to the semifinals.